The harsh winter seemed very long, but in the blink of an eye it vanished without a trace.

Overnight, the vast earth changed into new clothes.

Zhong Changrong stood on the fortress city wall, listening to the officers speak while taking a military map from a personal guard. Below his feet, troops constantly galloped in and out.

“General Zhong,” a scout galloped over and reined in his horse to shout. “Captain Xie has returned.”

Zhong Changrong tossed the map to the officers. “That troublesome brat, why is he so slow?”

The officers were all trusted confidants who knew what Xie Yanlai had gone to do, and they too were pleased.

“This is slow?” someone said, counting on his fingers. “It feels like he came back in the blink of an eye. Did he actually meet the Empress?”

Zhong Changrong suddenly felt it was too fast as well.

“Did that stinking brat slack off and not actually go at all?” he said angrily, stomping down from the city wall. “I’m going to ask him.”

He couldn’t wait for Xie Yanlai to come report to him.

However, even though Zhong Changrong came in person, he couldn’t see Xie Yanlai—Xie Yanlai was bathing.

“What are you doing taking a bath, boy!” Zhong Changrong stood in the room, berating him through the door curtain. “It’s not like you’re waiting to become a bridegroom. You aristocratic young masters just have too many bad habits.”

From behind the curtain came Xie Yanlai’s lazy voice: “That’s right, we aristocratic young masters do have many bad habits. Not only do I need to bathe, I also need to eat—” He raised his voice to call his personal guard Xiao Shan’s name. “Hurry and bring the food this young master ordered.”

Personal guard Xiao Shan stood outside the door and responded with a grinning yes.

“General, don’t be anxious either,” he also said to Zhong Changrong. “Our young master took a shortcut and got covered in grass and dirt. He really can’t meet people without washing.”

Personal guard Xiao Shan had been selected by Zhong Changrong from his own attendants for Xie Yanlai, but listening to what he said now, constantly saying “our young master,” one would think he was a household-born servant of the Xie family.

Zhong Changrong glared at Xiao Shan. “Who cares what he looks like?”

Xiao Shan grinned without rebutting and turned to run off. “I’ll go urge the kitchen about the food—mustn’t be too hot, too cold, too salty—”

Zhong Changrong cursed “bootlicker” and also cursed at Xie Yanlai behind the curtain: “What have you turned a perfectly good child into?”

“Don’t nag like a gossiping woman,” Xie Yanlai said lazily from inside. “You’re not here to see me anyway. She wrote you a letter. On the table, look at it.”

A letter! Zhong Changrong couldn’t be bothered to argue with Xie Yanlai about calling him a gossiping woman. He hurriedly searched on the table. The table was a mess—belt, leather pouch, dirty clothes so soiled they were unrecognizable also piled on top. Zhong Changrong pushed them off and threw them on the floor, only then seeing two letters and a paper package.

The letters were marked with names. Zhong Changrong sat down and opened the letter with his name on it, like a fish leaping into water, reading it with satisfaction.

The letter wasn’t long, but it clearly explained the recent events and what needed to be done next, including the arrangements for Mu Mianhong. Zhong Changrong read with mixed feelings—heartache, relief, and still wanting more—

His gaze swept across the table. There was another letter.

“Why did she write you a letter too?” he said. “Didn’t you already meet in person? What’s she writing you a letter for? Let me see what it says.”

He picked up the letter, but before he could open it, the curtain was flung aside with a whoosh, and the person inside rushed out like the wind—

Zhong Changrong’s vision blurred as water splashed on his face, and the letter in his hand was also snatched away.

“You rascal!” he cursed, raising his hand to wipe the water from his face. He saw Xie Yanlai with the lower half of his body wrapped, dripping wet as if he’d just jumped out of the bathing tub. “What madness has gotten into you!”

Xie Yanlai held the towel with one hand and the letter with the other. “How can you read other people’s letters? Are there no military rules and regulations?”

Military regulations did indeed forbid privately opening sealed letters—Zhong Changrong thought, but then slapped the table. “A Zhao’s letter is—”

“A Zhao is the Empress,” Xie Yanlai said with raised eyebrows. “Can the Empress’s orders be casually viewed?”

With that, he took the letter and swept back into the inner room like a gust of wind.

Zhong Changrong was still somewhat dazed. “The Empress’s orders—”

Before he finished speaking, Xie Yanlai rushed out from inside again and grabbed the small paper package from the table—

“What is that?” Zhong Changrong shouted with wide eyes.

The curtain swayed, and Xie Yanlai’s voice came from inside: “My snacks.”

Zhong Changrong was baffled. “Who cares about your snacks? I’m not a child.” He slapped the table again. “You actually had time to buy snacks? What exactly did you go do!”

From inside came the young man’s voice humming a tune: “It’s rare to leave that godforsaken frontier and arrive at Prince Zhongshan’s commandery city. Of course I thoroughly enjoyed the streets and had some good wine.”

Zhong Changrong laughed coldly twice but didn’t mind. By now he knew this brat just talked to annoy people but knew propriety in his actions. He certainly wouldn’t really go strolling the streets and drinking.

He sat at the table and could only read the letter in his hands again to satisfy himself, waiting until Xie Yanlai finished dressing and came out.

“What did A Zhao write to you?” Zhong Changrong asked again, even holding out his own letter. “Come, let’s exchange and look. In case any information was missed.”

Xie Yanlai completely ignored him. “Her Majesty the Empress made her own arrangements. There won’t be any omissions. Don’t you trust Her Majesty the Empress?”

Of course he trusted A Zhao, but—Zhong Changrong stroked his chin. What could A Zhao have to say to this brat? He glanced at Xie Yanlai. The young man after bathing had a profile sharp as a blade, with what seemed like water droplets still glittering on it. No matter how he looked—unpleasant to the eye!

“You saw A Zhao. What did she say?” he asked irritably.

Xie Yanlai said: “Nothing much.”

Zhong Changrong grew even more annoyed. “What do you mean nothing much? Then what did you do?”

Xie Yanlai made an acknowledging sound. “Me? I slept.”

Zhong Changrong’s eyes widened. “Slept? You ran all that way just to sleep?”

Xie Yanlai said: “The journey was very tiring. When I saw her and knew she was safe and got the letter, naturally I went to sleep.”

Zhong Changrong flung his sleeve and stood up. “What use are you!” He stomped off with the letter.

Xie Yanlai raised his eyebrows and pursed his lips, holding the letter in one hand and the snack package in the other as he flopped onto the bed. Fatigue surged like a tide. Looking at the bed canopy, he frowned again.

Actually, he didn’t know how he’d fallen asleep at that time either!

After going to such trouble to see her and only exchanging a few words, he’d actually fallen asleep!

He was tired, very tired, but not tired enough for that.

It must have been because Chu Zhao was beside him chattering on and on. He probably found it tiresome to listen and simply went to sleep.

What had she been chattering about then? Having fallen asleep, he really hadn’t heard. Perhaps he should have listened—

……

……

“Young master, the food is here—I even stole a pot of good wine from General Zhong—”

Xiao Shan carried a wooden tray in cheerfully, but saw Xie Yanlai lying on the bed motionless.

“Young master?” he called softly, placing the tray on the table and leaning over to look.

The young man had already fallen asleep, sleeping deeply, his chest rising and falling slowly. The paper package in his hand dangling over the edge of the bed was slowly slipping—

Xiao Shan reached out in time to catch it, preventing it from falling to the ground. Opening it, he saw several flattened pastries and shook his head with sympathy and sighs. “Look how hungry the young master is—he’d even eat such shabby-looking snacks—”

He tossed a piece into his own mouth as he spoke.

“I’ve prepared fine wine and delicious food for the young master. I’ll eat these shabby snacks.”

Xiao Shan’s expression was smug.

“Being so thoughtful, next time the young master selects troops he’ll definitely choose me, and I’ll be able to fight side by side with the young master.”

……

……

When the frontier lands were covered with greenery, the interior heartland had already reached the height of spring beauty.

Rounding a mountain ridge, they saw ahead a grove of peach trees like colorful clouds, magnificently brilliant.

Chu Zhao lifted her veil to gaze into the distance.

“Miss, let’s go enjoy the flowers,” A’Le said, seeing her absorbed, suggesting this.

Chu Zhao thought about it and shook her head. “Better not. We need to hurry.”

A’Le made an acknowledging sound and nodded. “We’ll hurry along. When we reach the capital, there will be many flowers to enjoy.”

Chu Zhao smiled and urged her horse forward, but not far ahead, she saw someone standing on the hillside by the road, his blue robe fluttering, gazing at the peach grove ahead.

Was he enjoying the flowers?

Chu Zhao urged her horse forward. The person on the hillside turned his head.

“Miss,” his voice was clear and bright. “The flowers are in perfect bloom. Why not stop and come enjoy them?”

Chu Zhao reined in her horse and lifted her veil to look.

On the hillside, the young master’s features were like warm jade.

“Third Young Master Xie!” A’Le had already called out. “What a coincidence to encounter you here!”

What coincidence? Chu Zhao laughed despite herself. Who could coincidentally encounter Third Young Master Xie?

She dismounted and ran toward the hillside.